Click on any of the images for the full-sized picture.

19-Feb-2005 -- It is Friday, 14/10/2004. Four foreign experts (Wolfgang Schaft, Torben Feyerabend, Dennis Vilovic & Michael Janinhoff) sit around an open fire somewhere in the Jordanian desert close to 31N 37E. They should go to bed early because they have to be prepared for discovering their confluence point. But they don't, this might be the reason why - several hours later and some kilometres further southeast, close to the Saudi border - "Mission 31N 37E" faces an abrupt, but temporary ending. One of the cars had major technical difficulties. Without breaks one obviously cannot proceed.

One month later: the team is ready for a second attempt. But they are confronted with another back-strike: Wolfgang hits a camel. His Freelander needs massive support (spare parts) from England.

Another three months later (18/02/2005): The team differs a bit, as new substitutes Dagmar Schaft and Donovan Bair are joining in. A bit later, we could find out that we got an experienced Rally Paris-Dakar Pilot (Donovan). On the morning of 19/02/2005 Michael, Dennis, Torben, and Donovan met Wolfgang and Dagmar at the only gas station between Azraq and Ma`ān (which is fortunately exactly at the point we wanted to go off-road). 30 minutes later our project was just about to end because of a puncture (which was possibly a result of Donovan's 80 km/h-cruise through stony deserts). Lucky us, the gas station was not too far away. So we could continue after a short break.

7 kilometres later the same procedure as before: puncture no. 2. We decided to split: Dagmar and Wolfgang wanted to find another way home, the others tried to get as close as possible to 31N 37E before sunset (after having a meeting with the friendly guys from the gas station again). Due to Donovan's rally experience, we got quite far and even reached our point of desire - finally. After a short celebration we headed home, not forgetting to mention puncture no. 3 just 30 meters before reaching the paved road again. When the sun set we were, exhausted but with this terrific feeling of success, back on the road to `Ammān. Mission accomplished.